Toy gun.



J. W. GORDONi TOY GUN.

APPLICATION HLED Arms. 1915.

1,21 5,926. Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

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JOHN W'ARWICK GORDON, OF ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TOY GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 191?.

Application filed April 3, 1916. Seria1No. 88,504.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WARWICK Gon- DON, of the city of St. Catharines, in the county of Lincoln, in the province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Guns, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in toy guns or cannons and the object of the invention is todevise a gun adapted to shoot marbles or like projectiles which is provided with a magazine which will automatically feed the marbles from the magazine into the breech after each shot, which may be sighted and held firmly in the sighting position until after the shot and yet which will automatically move from the sighting position after'each shot and it consists essentially of a barrel body provided with a main barrel bore, a spring actuated plunger rod located in the main barrel bore, 'a supplemental bore also extending longitudinally through the barrel body and terminating intermediate of the length of the main barrel bore in an orifice extending in a vertical forwardly inclined direction from the exterior of the barrel body into the bore, friction means for holding the marbles in position in the bore in front of the plunger, trigger means for holding the plunger in the withdrawn position and an adjustable back sight as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following specification.

Figure 1, is a general perspective view of my gun. V

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section through the center the gun.

Fig. 3, is a vertical section on line m-y Fig. 2.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged detail of the retaining means for holding the marbles in the main bore in front of the plunger rod.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged detail of the means for frictionally holding the barrel body in the vertically swung position.

Fig. 6, is a plan section of the rear portion of the barrel body on line 0ay.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

1 indicates a carriage comprising the side members 2 and 3'connected together by cross bars 4 and 5. 6 indicate hubs formed at the inner end of the arms 2 and 3 and provided with central orifices 7. The arms 2 and 3 are provided with upward extensions 8 directed upwardly from the hub 6, the upper ends of such extensions being provided with orifices9. 10 indicates the barrel body, the inner end of which is enlarged for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

12 indicates the main bore of the barrel body. 13 indicates a plunger rod fitting within the barrel bore 12 and designed to move longitudinally thereof. The rear end of the rod 13 projects outwardly at 14: from the barrel bore and is provided with a cross head 15. 16 indicates a supplemental bore located below the main bore 12 and extending longitudinally of the barrel body. 17 indicates a recess formed in the lower portion of the head 15. 18 indicates a tension spring secured at one end within the recess 17 and at the opposite end within the inner end of the bore 16. The barrel body 10 is provided with trunnions 19 extending into the orifices 9 hereinbefore referred to. By this means the barrel body is swung so that the muzzle of the barrel may be moved upwardly or downwardly in a vertical direction.

20 indicates the magazine bore which extends longitudinally in a slightly forwardly and downwardly inclined direction. 21 indicates a vertical forwardly inclined orifice extending through the barrel body into the barrel bore intermediate of its length and into which the magazine bore 20 extends intermediate of its height. 22 indicates an inclined pin extending through the upper portion of the barrel body so as to project in front of the rear mouth of the magazine bore 12 and prevent the marbles passing outwardly through such mouth. 23 indicates a pad of resilient material secured to the upper portion of the cross head 15 so as to fit over the rear mouth of the barrel bore 20. 2 1 indicates a vertical orifice extending through the barrel body in front of the orifice 21. The lower end of the orifice 24 is slightly constricted at 25 a11d25 indicates a marble fitting within such orifice and resting upon the constricted end of the orifice so that the lower peripheral portion of the marble projects inwardly into the main bore 12 when the plunger rod 13 is withdrawn.

26 indicates a retaining pin extending diametrically of the upper end of the orifice 2 1 so as to prevent the withdrawal of the marble 25 27 indicates an, arc-shaped spring bar secured to the rear end of the 1 barrel body is depressed or elevated; 175' lndicates a cross recess formed in the rear end of the barrel body. 3 1 indicates'a re taining pin extending vertically across the 1 recess 17* at one side of the barrel body. 3-5

' by the muzzle end of the barrel body. 39 V 7 ing through the orifices indicates a spring finger or trigger which extends horizontally through the recess 17 between the retaining bar at and the base of the recess. The outer end of the trigger 35' is provided with a suitable turned end forming a handle. The trigger 35 is provided with a right angularly bent portion which extends longitudinally of the barrel body, and is secured thereto by suitable means and the opposite end of the trigger enters an orifice in the barrel body at right angles and provides the springpower to the trigger.

36 indicates a recess formed in the plunger rod 13 and adapted toengage with the trigger 35 when the plunger rod is withdrawn. 38 indicates the foresight consisting of a pin or other suitable projecting portion carried indicates the back sight comprising an inverted U-shaped bar member having a V- shaped depression 10 formed in the base of the U. The arms 41 and 452 of such U- shaped' member extend through vertical orifices 43 formed at each side of the barrel body 11 and frictionally engaging the walls of the orifices. 14 indicates the axle extendand45 are the carrying wheels.

Having described the principal parts involved in my invention I will briefly describe the operation of the same. v 1

In order to sight the gun for the required range the inner end of the barrel body is either depressed or raised and the back sight 39 adjusted vertically so that the foresight 38 is seen on a line with the mark desired to be hit through the V-shaped portion 40 of the rear sight 39. The plunger 13 is withdrawn until the forward end is located on the dotted line 44*, the trigger 35 engaging in the forward end of notch 36 in the plunger rod, it being prevented thereby from further backward motion. Thisallows the forward marble of the series 45 contained in the magazine bore 20 to pass down through the orifice 21 into the main bore 12, and allowing the marble 25 to drop far enough into the main bore 12 to prevent the said projectile from rolling out of the barrel. The plunger 13 is'then released push ing the fed marble forwardly in the bore,

12 into contact with the downwardly .pro-

'p On of the peripheryjof th mar:

ble' 25*. This forward movement of the plunger carries the front end thereof into the position indicatedby dotted line 46, the trigger 35 being then located against the shoulder formed by the rear end of the notch 3 36. In this position the end ofthe'plunger does not bear upon the fed marble, such marble being held from passi'ngforwardly in 7 place within the bore 7 by the weight 25*. WVhen the gun has beensighted and is ready to fire all that it is. necessary to do is topress the trigger 35 thus freeing the plunger rod 13 which is carried forcibly forward by the spiral spring 18, such forcible forward 'movement carrying the fed marble past the ward or is drawn backthrough the barrel bore 12 the marble 25 rests on top of the plunger rod 13 and rolls freely thereon within the vertical orifice 24 thus causing no friction and consequent loss of driving power-to the plunger rod 13. If the gun is m ahorizontal position or the muzzle of the gun is depressed itwill be readilyseen that the next succeeding marble in the magazine will rollforwardly into theorifice 21 and on to the rod 13 ready to be fed into position into the barrel bore 12 when the plunger rod 13' is again withdrawn. If, however, as is usually the case, the muzzle of the gun is elevated the next succeeding marble is fed forward by the impactof the pad 23 carried by the upper portion of'the head '15 carried by the rear end 14: ofthe plunger rod 13 against the. rearmost'marble of the series 15*, the peripheral portion of whichprojects through the rear mouth of the magazine bore 20 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The impact upon the rearmostball of the series 15* forces the whole series of balls forward untilthe foremost ball nters the orifice 2 1 and into. the feedingr position upon springbar'27 held in position by the spring bars 30, 31 and 32. When the gun isfired rel body is frictionally supported; by the the shock of thecross head coming against the end of the barrel body is sufficient to overcome the frictional, contact of, the bars 30, 31 and 32 against the bar 27 and move such bar 27 so as to allow thebarrel body to swing out of the sighting position, V

It will thus be seen that it will be impossible for a person to sight the gun so as to hit the bulls eye and then repeat shot after shot against the same mark. After each shot the gun must be resighted thereby calling upon the skill of the user for every individual shot.

In order to sight the gun all that it is necessary to do is to raise the back sight in accordance with the distance of the object and then sight the gun in the usual way by bringing the foresight into a line with the V-shaped recess of the back sight.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised a simple form of toy gun which must be sighted for each individual shot, in which the marbles which are used as projectiles are automatically fed from the magazine into the breech by the impact when firing each shot, and from the breech into the firing position in the barrel by the withdrawal of the plunger after each shot and in which the marble fed to the firing position within the barrel body is held in position ready for firing no matter whether the barrel bore is inclined upwardly or downwardly, and in which simple sighting means is provided which may be adjusted to suit each individual user of the gun.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body provided with a barrel bore and a vertical orifice extending through the barrel body into the bore intermediately of the length of the same, a spring plunger held in the barrel bore and designed to be withdrawn to a position to the rear of the aforesaid orifice, means for feeding a series of marbles into the barrel bore between the withdrawn end of the plunger and the aforesaid orifice, and a ball freely supported within the orifice and having a spherical peripheral portion projecting downwardly through such orifice into the barrel bore and into contact with the fed marble.

2. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and an orifice extending vertically through the body into the bore, and a magazine bore extending through the barrel body from the rear thereof into the vertical orifice at its oppo-, site end and adapted to hold a series of marbles, of a spring plunger held within the barrel bore, and means for producing impact upon the rearmost marble in the magazine simultaneously with the forward or firing movement of the spring plunger to carry the foremost marble into the vertical orifice.

3. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and a forwardly inclined vertical orifice extending vertically through the body into the bore, and a magazine bore extending through the barrel body from the rear thereof into the vertical orifice at its opposite end and adapted to hold a series of marbles, of a spring plunger held within the barrel bore, and means for producing impact upon the rearmost marble in the magazine simultaneously with the forward or firing movement of the spring plunger to carry the foremost marble into the vertical orifice.

4. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and an orifice extending vertically through the body into the bore, and a magazine bore extending through the barrel body from the rear thereof into the vertical orifice at its opposite end and adapted to hold a series of marbles, of a spring plunger held within the barrel bore, and means for producing impact upon the rearmost marble in the magazine simultaneously with the forward or firing movement of the spring plunger to carry the foremost marble into the vertical orifice, and means located at the rear end of the magazine bore for retaining the marbles therein.

5. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and an ori fice extending vertically through the body into the bore, and a magazine bore extending through the barrel body from the rear thereof into the vertical orifice at its opposite end and adapted to hold a series of marbles, of a spring plunger held within the barrel bore, retaining means located at the rear end of the magazine bore for holding the marbles Within the bore and yet allowing the peripheral portion of the rearmost marble to project from the mouth, a cross head carried by the spring operated plunger adapted to be carried against the peripheral portion of the rearmost ball when the plunger is fired.

6. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and an orifice extending vertically through the body into the bore, and a magazine bore extending through the barrel body from the rear thereof into the vertical orifice at its opposite end and adapted to hold a series of marbles, of a spring plunger held within the barrel bore, retaining means located at the rear end of the magazine bore for holding the marbles within the bore and yet allowing the periph eral portion of the rearmost marble to project from the mouth, and a cross head carried by the spring operated plunger and provided with a resilient pad adapted to be carried against the projecting peripheral portion of the rearmost ball when the plunger is fired.

7. In a toy gun, the combination with the barrel body having a barrel bore and having a vertical orifice extending through the body into the bore intermediately of its length and having a magazine bore extending longitudinally of the body into the orifice intermediately of its height, of frictional retaining means depending into the barrel bore in front of the aforesaid orifice, a spring trigger carried by therear end of the barrel body, a spring plunger operating within the barrel bore and having a longitudinal recess in its lower peripheral portion equal 1n length to the dis- Vtance between the orifice opening into the barrel bore and frictional retaining means and through the forward end of which the tending arms of which are frictionally held by the barrel body and having a V-shaped depression in the base portion of the U.

9. In a toy gun, the combination with the Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7

barrel body swung upon a suitable carriage in the base or horizontal portionof the U.

10. In a toy'gung, the combination with the barrel body and a suitable. carriage'upon which the body is swung, ofa cross bar 2 swung upon 'thecarriage havinga diametric orifice, an arc-shaped spring membercarrled by the barrel body and extending through such diametric orifice,'and springf-fingers carried by thecarriage spring member, V V 7 JOHN WARWICK GORDON. lVitnesses: V 1 V C. H. PERRY, M. EGAN.

and bearing upon the Washington, D. C. 

